Royal Sussex Regiment

The Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms bu the amalgamation of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Light Infantry). Its lineage is continued today by the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

The Royal Sussex Regiment 1881 – 1914

Following its formation, the regiment was sent to Egypt in 1882 as part of General Wolseley’s expedition to crush the Urabi Revolt and conquer Egypt in the name of the Khedive. The 2nd Battalion was stationed in Alexandria after its bombardment by the Royal Navy and the 1st Battalion was engaged in several of the decisive land battles in that short-lived conflict. Later, in 1884, the regiment was part of the Nile Expedition–the unsuccessful attempt to save General Gordon and his garrison at Khartoum during the Mahdist War. Twenty men of the regiment, led by Lt. Lionel Trafford, led the advanced party towards Khartoum. Being told that the enemy would flee at the sight of the British in their red coats, they traded their khaki for the scarlet of the Camel Guards. Nevertheless, the British relief force was two days too late, as Khartoum had fallen and Gordon was killed.

The 2nd Battalion, stationed in India, was part of the Black Mountain Expedition of 1888, as one of many battles fought along the North-West Frontier Province.

In 1900, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (Royal Sussex Militia) Battalions of the regiment joined the British Army in the bloody Anglo-Boer War.

World War I 1914 – 1918

The regiment raised 23 battalions for the war all of which saw action. The regiment had a battalion in every theatre including in Russia in 1919. The regiment lost 6,800 men during the war and four Victoria Crosses were won by men from the regiment.

2nd Battalion

The 2nd Battalion crossed the channel with the British Expeditionary Force in 1914 and fought through the war on the Western Front. It was during the first Battle of Ypres that the 2nd Battalion was given the unofficial title “The Iron Regiment” as an unsolicited testimonial by German prisoners captured on November 1, 1914.

The Battalion subsequently fought alongside the 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion during the Battle of Aubers Ridge on May 9, 1915. Later that year, on 25 September, during the Battle of Loos Sgt Harry Wells won a posthumous VC, when the Battalion took part in the attack in the vicinity of the Lone Tree in front of Hulluch. The Battalion moved to the Somme in 1916 where it was involved in actions including High Wood, moving back to the Ypres Sector in 1917. The battalion lost 1,723 officers and men killed by 1918.

Battle of the Boar’s Head

At Richebourg, in 1916, the 11th, 12th and 13th (Southdowns) Battalions of the Royal Sussex, made up the 116th Southdowns Brigade of the 39th Division in Kitchener’s New Army. On 30 June 1916 they took part in the Battle of the Boar’s Head, Richebourg L’Avoue. After a bombardment of the German trenches the 12th and 13th Battalions went over the top (most for the first time) and, under heavy fire, attacked the enemy trenches, bombing and bayoneting their way in. The 11th Battalion supplied carrying parties. They succeeded in taking the German front line trench, holding it for some four hours, and even briefly took the second line trench for about half an hour, beating off repeated counter attacks, and only withdrew from the shortage of ammunition and mounting casualties. Over a period of less than five hours the three Southdowns Battalions of The Royal Sussex lost 17 officers and 349 men killed, including 12 sets of brothers, including three from one family. A further 1000 men were wounded or taken prisoner. In the regiment history this is known as The Day Sussex Died. The following day the Battle of the Somme began and 20,000 died on the first day. The Royal Sussex attack at Richebourg was just a diversion, not even considered a separate action in the history of the war, and remain largely unmentioned in any of the official histories. There is a brilliant account of this in Edmund Blunden‘s memoir “Undertones of War” (he was an a 2nd Lieutenant in 11th Battalion).

World War II

The Royal Sussex raised 14 battalions for the Second World War, although only a few saw active service during the war. The regiment won one Victoria Cross during the war, that of Lionel Ernest Queripel

1st Battalion

The 1st Battalion was based in Egypt at the outbreak of the Second World War, where it was attached to the 4th Indian Division, with whom it remained for the rest of the war. The battalion took part in the Western Desert Campaign, the Italian Campaign, where it was involved in the bloody Battle of Monte Cassino. During the battle the elements of the 1st Battalion were ordered into an attack in which they sustained over 50% casualties. In 1944 it was shipped across to Greece with Scobie’s III Corps where it stayed until 1946.

2nd Battalion

The 2nd Battalion was based in Ireland at the out break of war. They were joined with the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Regiment in the 133rd (Royal Sussex) Brigade as part of the 44th (Home Counties) Division. They were sent to the France in 1940, taking part in the fighting and rapid retreat to Dunkirk where they were evacuated. The brigade was sent to North Africa in 1942 where they fought in the Battle of Alam Halfa. The 44th Division was reported to have performed badly during that battle and was disbanded afterwards, the Royal Sussex Brigade was attached to various units after this. They fought at the Battle of El Alamein. In 1943 the 2nd Battalion and volunteers from the 4th and 5th Battalions were formed into the 10th Battalion, Parachute Regiment which landed with the 4th Parachute Brigade at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden in 1944. Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel, from the Royal Sussex won the Victoria Cross posthumously, at Arnhem. After the battle the battalion was dispersed.

A new 2nd Battalion was raised again, after the old one became 10th Para, and along with the 4th and 5th Battalions, was reformed with the 133rd Brigade which was sent to the forgotten theatre of war in Iraq and Persia in 1943 with the 6th Indian Division where they remained for the rest of the war.

Rest of the Regiment

The regiment also raised the 6th and 7th Battalions (both 2nd Line Territorial Army battalions) which were both in the 37th Infantry Brigade, part of the 12th Eastern Division. They also served in France in 1940 but suffered heavy casualties during the fighting. The 6th Battalion served as a Home Defence unit for the rest of the war and was disbanded in 1946. The 7th Battalion was disbanded in 1942.

The Royal Sussex raised another six battalions, mostly for home defence or as training units, but the 9th Battalion was sent in 1943 with the 72nd Infantry Brigade to fight in the Burma Campaign with the 36th Infantry Division. The battalion saw action in the Arakan, was airlifted into Myitkyina and fought its way to Mandalay by April 1945. It was in Burma when the Japanese surrendered.

Post 1945

On 31 December 1966 the regiment was amalgamated with The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment, The Queen’s Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment and The Middlesex Regiment to form The Queen’s Regiment.

The Regimental Museum is at the Eastbourne Redoubt, Royal Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex, United Kingdom. The regiment appeared in Atonement as the regiment in which Robbie Turner was a Private during the Battle of France, although the film incorrectly identified Robbie as serving with the 1st Battalion.

The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) was officially formed in 1881 when the 57th West Middlesex and the 77th East Middlesex Regiments of Foot were amalgamated as part of the Childers Reforms. However, the Regiment can trace its history back 126 years prior to this date.
The 57th was first raised in 1755 and initially numbered the 59th but rose to the 57th Regiment of Foot in 1756 when the 50th and 51st were disbanded. The Regiment served during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83) until its surrendered at Yorktown. It came by its nickname the “Die-hards” during the Peninsular War. On 16th May 1811 at the Battle of Albuera, Commander Colonel Inglis had his horse shot from under him and was severely wounded. As he lay on the ground, he called to his soldiers to: “Die Hard, 57th Die Hard!” In 1824 the Regiment embarked at Chatham to convey convicts to Australia and remained there until 1831 when it moved to India for 15 years. It then went on to serve during the Crimean War (1854-56) and the Indian Mutiny (1857-59), then moving to New Zealand in 1860 for 7 years. After a period of 6 years on garrison duty in Ireland and Britain it moved to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and then took part in the Zulu War of 1879. In 1782 all British Regiments without Royal titles were awarded county titles in order to aid recruitment from those areas, the 57th was given the West Middlesex association to become 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot.

The 77th was first formed in 1787 as the ‘77th (Hindoostan) Regiment of Foot’ by the East India Company during heighten tensions between France and Britain in India. However the tensions had passed once the Regiment was raised and the Company refused to pay for it, so it passed to the British Army. The Regiment was deployed to India in 1788 and remained there for 19 years serving in the Mahratta and Mysore Wars fighting at the storming of Seringapatam 1799. In 1807 the county designation of East Middlesex was awarded, becoming the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot. To commemorate its Indian service the Regiment was granted permission to bear the motto and plumes of the Prince of Wales and returned to Europe to serve in the unsuccessful Walcheren Campaign and the Peninsular War including the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo and the First Siege of Badajoz and the Battle of Bayonne. The Regiment had another period of garrison duties in various areas including Jamaica, Malta Nova Scotia and England until 1854 when it went to serve in the Crimean War fighting at the Battles of Sevastopol, Balaklava, The Alma, and Inkerman. In 1858 the Regiment was deployed to India to suppress the Indian Rebellion and were awarded the title of ‘Duke of Cambridge’s Own’ in 1876 becoming the ‘77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot (The Duke of Cambridge’s Own)’.

In 1881 the 57th and 77th Regiments were amalgamated to form The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment) as part of the Childers Reforms. The Childers Reform restructured the British army infantry regiments into a network of multi-battalion regiments each having two regular and two militia battalions. The newly formed Regiment went on to serve in the Boer War (1899-1902) and two World Wars.

In 1921, the Regimental title was reversed to The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own). In 1966 it was further merged with the Royal Surrey Regiment, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and the Sussex Regiment to form the Queen’s Regiment. In 1991 The Queen’s Regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Hampshire Regiment to form the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and is the most senior English line infantry Regiment.

Since 1815 the balance of power in Europe had been maintained by a series of treaties. In 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned ‘German Emperor and King of Prussia’ and moved from a policy of maintaining the status quo to a more aggressive position. He did not renew a treaty with Russia, aligned Germany with the declining Austro-Hungarian Empire and started to build a Navy rivalling that of Britain. These actions greatly concerned Germany’s neighbours, who quickly forged new treaties and alliances in the event of war. On 28th June 1914 Franz Ferdinand the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated by the Bosnian-Serb nationalist group Young Bosnia who wanted pan-Serbian independence. Franz Joseph’s the Austro-Hungarian Emperor (with the backing of Germany) responded aggressively, presenting Serbia with an intentionally unacceptable ultimatum, to provoke Serbia into war. Serbia agreed to 8 of the 10 terms and on the 28th July 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, producing a cascade effect across Europe. Russia bound by treaty to Serbia declared war with Austro-Hungary, Germany declared war with Russia and France declared war with Germany. Germany’s army crossed into neutral Belgium in order to reach Paris, forcing Britain to declare war with Germany (due to the Treaty of London (1839) whereby Britain agreed to defend Belgium in the event of invasion). By the 4th August 1914 Britain and much of Europe were pulled into a war which would last 1,566 days, cost 8,528,831 lives and 28,938,073 casualties or missing on both sides.

In the First World War, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) formed a total of 49 Battalions this was mainly due to a surplus of volunteers seeking to enlist. The Regiment received a total of 81 battle honours,5 Victoria Crosses and lost approximately 12,270 casualties during the course of the war.

Battalions of the Middlesex Regiment during WW1

The 1st Battalion,
04.08.1914 Stationed at Woolwich, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel B. E. Ward.
11.08.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre as Lines of Communication Troops in preparation for the Expeditionary Force.
22.08.1914 Joined the 19th Infantry Brigade forming at Valenciennes under the command of Major-General L. G. Drummond.
12.10.1914 The 19th Infantry Brigade transferred to the 6th Division. Were involved in action at Hooge.
31.05.1915 Transferred to the 27th Division, to add valuable experience to the ranks of the New Army Divisions.
19.08.1915 Transferred to the 2nd Division to replace the 4th (Guards) Brigade. Were involved in action at The Battle of Loos.
25.11.1915 Transferred to the 98th Brigade, 33rd Division Battalion. Involved in action Battles of the Somme, Third Battles of Ypres, Battles of the Lys, Battles of the Hindenburg Line, Final Advance in Picardy
11.11.1918 Ended war in France at Sassegnies, S.W. of Aulnoye.

2nd Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Malta
Sept 1914 Returned to England, Hursley Park and joined the 23rd Brigade 8th Division.
07.11.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre. The 8th Division provided badly-needed reinforcement to The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and remained on the Western Front throughout rest of the war, taking part in the following actions:
During 1915; The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, The Battle of Aubers, The action of Bois Grenier.
During 1916; The Battle of Albert (the first phase of the Battles of the Somme 1916).
During 1917; The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of Pilkem, The Battle of Langemarck, The battles marked + are phases of the Third Battle of Ypres.
During 1918; The Battle of St Quentin, The actions at the Somme crossings, The Battle of Rosieres, The actions of Villers-Bretonneux, The Battle of the Aisne 1918, The Battle of the Scarpe, The Final Advance in Artois in which the Division captured Douai
11.11.1918 Ended war in Belgium at Douvrain, N.W. of Mons

3rd Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Cawnpore, India (now Kanpur).
Dec. 1914 Returned to England, Winchester and joined the 85th Brigade 28th Division.
19.01.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre and were involved in action in The Second Battle of Ypres and The Battle of Loos.
25.10.1915 Moved from Marseilles, France to Salonika, Greece via Alexandria, Egypt arriving 02.12.1915. Where they were involved in the following actions;
02.10.1916: The occupation of Mazirko
31.10.1916: The capture of Barakli Jum’a
15.05.1917: The capture of Ferdie and Essex Trenches (near Barakli Jum’a)
16.10.1917: The capture of Barakli and Kumli
18-19.09.1918: The Battle of Doiran
22-28.091918: The pursuit to the Strumica valley
30.09.1918 Hostilities with Bulgaria ceased on 30 September moved to Macedonia, north of Lake Doiran were they finished their war.

4th Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Devonport, Plymouth England transferred to 8th Brigade 3rd Division.
14.08.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne, where they were involved in the following actions;
During 1914;
The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, including the Rearguard action of Solesmes, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne including participation in the Actions on the Aisne heights, The Battles of La Bassee and Messines 1914 , First Battle of Ypres.
14.11.1915 Transferred to the 63rd Brigade, 21st Division. Where they were involved in action on the Western Front.
08.07.1916 The 63rd Brigade transferred to 37th Division. Where they were involved in the following action;
During 1916; The Battle of the Ancre.
During 1917; The First Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Monchy-le-Preux, The Second Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Arleux, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle, The First Battle of Passchendaele,
During 1918; The Battle of the Ancre, a phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918, The Battle of the Albert, a phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918, The Battle of Havrincourt, The Battle of the Canal du Nord, The Battle of Cambrai, The pursuit to the Selle, The Battle of the Selle, The Battle of the Sambre.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in France, Caudry, S.W. of Solesmes. Demobilisation of the 37th Division began on 26.12.1918 and was completed by 25.03.1919.

5th and 6th (Reserve) Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Mill Hill for training.
Aug. 1914 Mobilised and the 5th moved to Rochester and the 6th to Gillingham.
Nov 1915 The 6th moved to Chatham where they remained.
March 1916 The 5th also moved to Chatham.
During 1917 & 1918 The 5th moved to Gillingham. They were also both part of the Thames and Medway Garrison.

1/7th Battalion Territorial Force
04.08.1914 Stationed at Hornsea, Middlesex Brigade, Home Counties Division.
5-9.8.1914 Mobilised and moved to Isle of Grain, and then Sittingbourne, Kent.
04.09.1914 Mobilised and moved to Gibraltar, Spain arriving 17.09.1914.
13.02.1915 Returned to England, arrived at Avonmouth then moved to Barnet.
13.03.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Le Havre.
15.03.1915 Transferred to 23rd Brigade 8th Division. Where they were involved in the following action;
The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, The Battle of Aubers, The action of Bois Grenier (a diversionary attack coinciding with the Battle of Loos).
23.06-02.08.1915 Amalgamated with 1/8th Battalion.
08.02.1916 Transferred to 167th Brigade in 56th Division.
During 1916;
01.07.1916: The diversionary attack at Gommecourt
09.09.1916: The Battle of Ginchy
15-22.09.1916: The Battle of Flers-Courcelette
25-27.09.1916: The Battle of Morval
11.09-09.10.1916: The Battle of the Transloy Ridges
During 1917;
14.03-05.04.1917: The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
09-14.04.1917: The First Battle of the Scarpe
03-04.05.1917: The Third Battle of the Scarpe
16-17.08.1917: The Battle of Langemarck
21.11.1917: The capture of Tadpole Copse
23-28.11.1917: The capture of Bourlon Wood
30.11-02.12.1917: The German counter attacks
During 1918
28.03.1918: The First Battle of Arras
23.08.1918: The Battle of Albert
26-30.08.1918: The Battle of the Scarpe
27.09-01.10.1918: The Battle of the Canal du Nord
08-09.10.1918: The Battle of the Cambrai
09-12.10.1918: The pursuit to the Selle
04.11.1918: The Battle of the Sambre
05-07.11.1918: The passage of the Grand Honelle
11.11.1918 Ended war in France, Le Dessous, Blaregnies, N.E. of Bavai. The Division was employed to repair road and railway in the Harveng area, therefore the final cadres did not leave for home until 18.05.1919.

1/8th Battalion Territorial Force
04.08.1914 Stationed at Hounslow, Middlesex Brigade, the Home Counties Division. Moved to Sheerness and then to Sittingbourne.
Sept 1914 Mobilised to Gibraltar leaving Home Counties Division, arrived 17.09.1915.
Feb 1915 Returned to England.
09.03.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre.
11.03.1915 Transferred to 85th Brigade and the 28th Division, where they were involved in action at;
22.04-25.05.1915: The Second Battle of Ypres
21.06.1915: Transferred to the 8th Division
23.6-02.08.1915: Amalgamated with 1/7th Battalion
27.08.1915: Transferred to 25th Brigade, 8th Division
23.10.1915: Transferred to 70th Brigade, 8th Division
Where they were also involved in action at; The Battle of Aubers, The action of Bois Grenier
09.02.1916 Transferred to 167th Brigade, 56th Division where they were involved in the following action;
During 1916;
01.07.1916: The diversionary attack at Gommecourt
09.09.1916: The Battle of Ginchy
15-22.09.1916: The Battle of Flers-Courcelette
25-27.09.1916: The Battle of Morval
11.09-09.10.1916: The Battle of the Transloy Ridges
During 1917;
14.03-05.04.1917: The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
09-14.04.1917: The First Battle of the Scarpe
03-04.05.1917: The Third Battle of the Scarpe
16-17.08.1917: The Battle of Langemarck
21.11.1917: The capture of Tadpole Copse
23-28.11.1917: The capture of Bourlon Wood
30.11-02.12.1917: The German counter attacks
During 1918
28.03.1918: The First Battle of Arras
23.08.1918: The Battle of Albert
26-30.08.1918: The Battle of the Scarpe
27.09-01.10.1918: The Battle of the Canal du Nord
08-09.10.1918: The Battle of the Cambrai
09-12.10.1918: The pursuit to the Selle
04.11.1918: The Battle of the Sambre
05-07.11.1918: The passage of the Grand Honelle
11.11.1918 Ended war in France, Blaregnies, N.E. of Bavai. The Division was employed to repair road and railway in the Harveng area, therefore the final cadres did not leave for home until 18.05.1919.

1/9th Battalion Territorial Force
04.08.1914 Stationed at Willesden Green, N.W. Middlesex Brigade, the Home Counties Division. Moved to Minster nr Sheerness and then on to Sittingbourne.
30.10.1914 Mobilised and left Southampton for India.
02.12.1914 Arrived Bombay, the Home Counties Division is broken up.
19.11.1917 Moved to Basra leaving Karachi.
24.11.1917 Transferred to 53rd Brigade of the 18th Indian Division and remained in Mesopotamia, north of Tikrit until the end of the war. They were involved in the following actions;
23-26.10.1918 Battles at Fat-ha Gorge and Little Zab
28-30.10.1918 The Battle of Sharqat

1/10th Battalion Territorial Force
04.08.1914 Stationed at Ravenscourt Park, W. Middlesex Brigade, the Home Counties Division. Moved to Sheerness and then on to Sittingbourne.
30.10.1914 Mobilised and left Southampton for India.
02.12.1914 Arrived Bombay, the Home Counties Division is broken up. Remained in India until the end of the war.

2/7th Battalion Territorial Forces
Sept 1914 Formed at Hornsey.
24.91914 Moved to Barnet
Nov 1914 Moved to Egham and transferred to 201st Brigade of the 67th Division.
02.02.1915 Left 67th Division and moved to Gibraltar arrived 07.02.1915.
Aug 1915 Mobilised and moved to Alexandria, Egypt, arrived 31.08.1915. Where they served as part of the Western Frontier Force in order to response to the Senussi Uprising and were involved in action at the Battle of Agagia, and re-captured of lost Egyptian territory.
09.05.1916 Moved to France and arrived at Marseilles 15.06.1916, and quarantined for typhus.
10.06.1916 Moved to Rouen and disbanded on the 15.06.1916. The 3/7th Battalion in England then became the 2/7th Battalion.

2/8th Battalion Territorial Forces
Sept 1914 Formed at Hampton Court.
Nov 1914 Moved to Staines, Surrey and joined the 201st Brigade of the 67th Division.
24.91914 Moved to Barnet.
Nov 1914 Moved to Egham and transferred to 201st Brigade of the 67th Division.
02.02.1915 Left 67th Division and moved to Gibraltar arrived 07.02.1915.
Aug 1915 Mobilised and moved to Alexandria, Egypt, arrived 31.08.1915. Where they served as part of the Western Frontier Force in order to response to the Senussi Uprising and were involved in action at the Battle of Agagia, and re-captured of lost Egyptian territory.
09.05.1916 Moved to France and arrived at Marseilles 15.06.1916, and quarantined for typhus.
10.06.1916 Moved to Rouen and disbanded on the 15.06.1916. The 3/8th Battalion in England then became the 2/8th Battalion.

2/9th Battalion Territorial Forces
Sept 1914 Formed at Willesden.
Nov 1914 Moved to Staines, Surrey and joined the 201st Brigade of the 67th Division.
24.91914 Moved to Barnet.
Nov 1914 Moved to Sevenoaks.
July 1916 Moved to Barham, Kent.
Summer 1917 Moved to Patrixbourne, Kent.
Nov 1917 Disbanded in England.

2/10th Battalion Territorial Forces
Sept 1914 Formed at Stamford Brook.
Nov 1914 Moved to Staines, Surrey and joined the 201st Brigade of the 67th Division.
24.04.1915 Moved to Cambridge and Transferred to Welsh Border Brigade, of the Welsh Division.
May 1915 Moved to Bedford.
13.05.1915 Unit renamed 160th Brigade and the 53rd Division.
18.07.1915 Mobilised for war and moved to Imbros, Turkey from Devonport via Egypt.
09.08.1915 Landed at Sulva Bay, Gallipoli and engaged in action in the Sulva Bay area and were involved in action at the Battle of Scimitar Hill.
Dec 1915 Due to heavy losses from combat and severe weather conditions the Division was evacuated to Egypt, where they saw the following action;
04-05.08.1916: The Battle of Romani
17-19.04.1917: The Second Battle of Gaza
27.10-07.11.1917: The Third Battle of Gaza
31.10.1917: The Capture of Beersheba
03-07.11.1917: The Capture of Tell Khuweilfe
07-09.12.1917: The Capture of Jerusalem
27-30.12.1917: The Defence of Jerusalem
19.081918 Left the 53rd Division and were disbanded at El Kantara.

3/7th Battalion Territorial Forces
Feb 1915 Formed at Hornsey.
Nov 1914 Moved to Staines, Surrey and joined the 201st Brigade of the 67th Division.
May 1915 Moved to Kent.
15.06.1916 Became the 2/7th Battalion at Barham, Kent.
Nov 1917 Disbanded in England.

3/8th Battalion Territorial Forces
Feb 1915 Formed at Hounslow
May 1914 Moved to Staines, Surrey and joined the 201st Brigade of the 67th Division, then later moved to Kent.
15.06.1916 Became the 2/8th Battalion at Bourne Park.
Summer 1917 Moved to Scotland Hill, nr Canterbury.
Oct 1917 Disbanded in Engalnd.

3/9th Battalion Territorial Forces
Mar 1915 Formed at Willesden then moved to Cambridge.
08.04.1916 Became the 9th (Reserve) Battalion
01.09.1916 absorbed into the 7th (Reserve) Battalion at Purfleet, Essex.

3/10th Battalion Territorial Forces
May 1915 Formed and then moved to Kent to join the 201st Brigade in the 67th Division.
July 1916 Moved to Bourne Park, nr Canterbury.
01.06.1917 Left the 67th Division mobilised for war and landed at Havre.
23.06.1917 Transferred to the South African Brigade in the 9th Division, where they were engaged on the Western Front.
02.08.1917 Transferred to 10th Brigade in the 4th Division where they saw they following action;
During 1917
The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle, The First Battle of Passchendaele
20.02.1918 Disbanded in France.

4/7th Battalion Territorial Forces
May 1915 Formed and then moved to Cambridge and then Purfleet, Essex.
08.04.1916 Became the 7th (Reserve) Battalion.
01.09.1916 Absorbed into the 8th, 9th and 10th (Reserve) Battalions in the Home Counties Brigade.
Sept 1916 Moved to Tunbridge Wells and remained there until the end of the war.

4/8th and 4/10th Battalion Territorial Forces
May 1915 Formed and moved to Cambridge and then Purfleet, Essex.
08.04.1916 Became the Reserve Battalion.
01.09.1916 Absorbed into the 7th (Reserve) Battalion.

11th (Service) Battalion
Aug 1914 Formed at Mill Hill as part of the First New Army (K1), then moved to Colchester and joined the 36th Brigade of the 12th Division.
Nov 1914 Moved to Shorncliffe, Kent.
Feb 1915 Moved to Ramillies Barracks, Aldershot.
June 1915 Mobilised for action and landed at Boulogne and were engaged in action on the Western Front including; The Battle of Loos 1915, The Battles of the Somme 1916 and The Arras Offensive 1917.
07.02.1918 Disbanded in France.

12th (Service) Battalion
Aug 1914 Formed at Mill Hill as part of the Second New Army (K2), then moved to Colchester and joined the 54th Brigade of the 18th Division.
May 1915 Moved to Codford, Salisbury Plain.
26.07.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Harve where they were engaged in action on the Western Front;
During 1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights, The Battle of the Ancre.
During 1917
Operations on the Ancre, The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The Third Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Langemarck, First Battle of Passchendaele, The Second Battle of Passchendaele.
13.02.1818 Disbanded in France. The18th Division suffered the loss of 46503 killed, wounded and missing.

13th (Service) Battalion
Sept 1914 Formed at Mill Hill as part of the Third New Army (K3), then moved to South Downs and joined the 73rd Brigade of the 24th Division.
Dec 1914 Moved to Hove, East Sussex.
May 1915 Moved to Shoreham, Kent.
June 1915 Moved to Pirbright, Surrey.
02.09.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne. They were then engaged in action on the Western front including;
During 1915
The Battle of Loos
During 1916
The German gas attack at Wulverghem, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont.
During 1917
The Battle of Vimy Ridge, The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Langemarck, The Cambrai Operations,
During 1918
The Battle of St Quentin, The Actions at the Somme Crossings, The Battle of Rosieres, The First Battle of the Avre, The Battle of Cambrai 1918, Battles of the Hindenburg Line, The pursuit to the Selle, The Battle of the Sambre.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in France at Le Louvion, East of Bavai. The 24th Division suffered the loss of 35362 killed, wounded and missing.

14th (Reserve) Battalion
Oct 1914 Formed at Gravesend as a service Battalion in the Fourth New Army (K4), and joined the 93rd Brigade of the original 31st Division.
Jan 1915 Moved to Halling, Kent.
10.04.1915 Renamed the 2nd Reserve Battalion and the 5th Reserve Brigade.
May 1915 Moved to Colchester, Essex.
Oct 1915 Moved to Shoreham, Kent.
01.09.1916 Renamed the 24th Training Reserve Battalion in the 5th Reserve Brigade at Shoreham.

15th (Reserve) Battalion
Oct 1914 Formed at Gillingham as a service Battalion in the Fourth New Army (K4), and joined the 93rd Brigade of the original 31st Division.
Dec 1914 Moved to Snodland, Kent.
10.04.1915 Renamed the 2nd Reserve Battalion and the 5th Reserve Brigade.
May 1915 Moved to Colchester, Essex.
Oct 1915 Moved to Shoreham, Kent.
01.09.1916 Absorbed into the Territorial Reserve Battalions of the 5th Reserve Brigade.

16th (Reserve) Battalion (Public Schools).
01.09.1914 Formed at St. James St in London by Lieutenant Colonel JJ Mackay, then moved to Kempton Park, Surrey.
Dec 1914 Moved to Warlingham, Surrey.
July 1915 Moved to Clipstone, Nottinghamshire, and joined the 100th Brigade of the 33rd Division.
Aug 1915 Moved to Perham Down, Salisbury Plain.
10.08.1915 War Office takes over Command of Battalion.
17.11.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne.
25.02.1916 Transferred to GHQ Troops.
25.04.1916 Transferred to 86th Brigade of the 29th Division where they were involved in various action on the Western front including;
During 1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of the Transloy Ridges.
During 1917
The First Battle of the Scarpe, The Second Battle of the Scarpe, The Third Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Langemarck, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle.
11.02.1918 Disbanded Belgium near Poperinghe.

16th (Reserve) Battalion (1st Football).
12.12.1914 Formed in London by Rt. Hon. W Joynson Hicks M.P. to White City.
April 1915 Moved to Cranleigh, Surrey.
July 1915 Moved to Clipstone, Nottinghamshire and joined the 100th Brigade of the 33rd Division.
Aug 1915 Moved to Perham Down, Salisbury Plain.
01.09.1915 War Office takes over Command of Battalion.
18.11.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne.
08.12.1915 Transferred to the 6th Brigade of the 2nd Division where they were involved in action on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of the Ancre, The battles marked and Operations on the Ancre.
During 1917
The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The First Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Arleux, The Second Battle of the Scarpe, and The Battle of Cambrai.
10.2.1918 Disbanded in France.

16th (Reserve) Battalion (1st Public Works Pioneers).
19.01.1915 Formed in London by Lieutenant Colonel John Ward M.P.
Feb 1915 Moved to Alexandra Palace, London
May 1915 Moved to Rayleigh, Essex.
July 1915 Moved to Clipstone, Nottinghamshire became the Pioneers Battalion and joined the 33rd Division.
01.07.1915 War Office takes over Command of Battalion.
Aug 1915 Moved to Salisbury Plain.
15.11.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre where they were involved in various action on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin, The attacks on High Wood, The capture of Boritska and Dewdrop Trenches.
During 1917
The First Battle of the Scarpe, The Second Battle of the Scarpe, The actions on the Hindenburg Line, Operations on the Flanders coast (Operation Hush), The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, The Battle of Polygon Wood.
During 1918
The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Hazebrouck, The Battle of Bailleul, The defence of Neuve Eglise, The First Battle for Kemmel Ridge, The fighting for and recapture of Ridge Wood, The Battle of the Epehy, The Battle of the St Quentin Canal, The Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, The Battle of Cambrai, The pursuit to the Selle, The Battle of the Selle.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in France, Berlaimont, west of Aulnoye.

16th (Reserve) Battalion (2nd Public Works Pioneers).
April 1915 Formed in London by Lieutenant Colonel John Ward M.P.
01.07.1915 War Office takes over Command of Battalion.
Oct 1915Moved to Aldershot became the Pioneer Battalion and joined the 41st Division.
02.05.1916 Mobilised for war and landed at Harvre, where they engaged in action on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of the Transloy Ridges.
During 1917
The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of the Menin Road, Operations on the Flanders coast
Nov 1917 Moved to Vigasio, Italy and arrived 21.11.1917. Where they were engaged at the front line near the River Piave, north west of Treviso.
08.03.1918 Moved to back to France; Mondicourt. Where they were engaged in action at The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume and The Battle of Arras, The Battles of the Lys and the Final Advance in Flanders, at Courtrai and Ooteghem.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in Belgium, Berchem on Scheldt, N.W. of Renaix.

20th (Reserve) Battalion (Shoreditch)
18.05.1915 Formed in Shoreditch, London by the Mayor and the Borough.
July 1915 Transferred to 118th Brigade of the 39th Division.
15.08.1915 War Office takes over Command of Battalion.
Oct 1915 Moved to Aldershot.
Feb 1916 Moved to Witley and Transferred to the 121st Brigade of the 40th Division.
June 1916 Mobilised for war and landed in France. Where they engaged in action on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of the Ancre
During 1917
The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The capture of Fifteen Ravine, Villers Plouich, Beaucamp and La Vacquerie, The Cambrai Operations.
During 1918
The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Estaires, The Battle of Hazebrouck.
06.05.1918 Due to heavy loses the Division was reduced to training cadre
31.05.1918 Transferred to 16th Division.
16.06.1918 transferred to 43rd Brigade of the 14th Division at Boulogne and crossed to Folkestone, Kent and the next day on to Brookwood, Surrey.
20.06.1918 reconstituted and absorbed the 34th Battalion.
05.07.1918 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne, where they were again involved in action on the Western Front including;
The Battle of the Soissonais and of the Ourcq, The capture of Baigneux Ridge, The Battle of Ypres, The Battle of Courtrai, The action of Ooteghem, The action of Tieghem.
11.11.1918 ended the war in the 43rd Brigade of the 14th Division in Belgium, Warcoing on Scheldt, east of Roubaix.

21st (Reserve) Battalion (Islington)
18.05.1915 Formed in Islington, London by the Mayor and the Borough.
July 1915 Taken over the war office and transferred to the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division.
Oct 1915 Moved to Aldershot, Hampshire.
Feb 1916 Moved to Witley and transferred to the 121st Brigade of the 40th Division.
June 1916 Mobilised for war and landed in France where they were involved in action on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of the Ancre
During 1917
The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The capture of Fifteen Ravine, Villers Plouich, Beaucamp and La Vacquerie, The Cambrai Operations.
During 1918
The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Estaires, The Battle of Hazebrouck.
05.02.1918 Transferred to the 119th Brigade of the 40th Division.
05.05.1918 Due to heavy loses the Division was reduced to training cadre
03.06.1918 Transferred to the 34th Division
17.06.1918 Transferred to the 39th Division
30.06.1918 Transferred to the 74th Brigade of the 25th Division at Boulogne and crossed to Folkestone, Kent, then moved to Aldershot, Hampshire. Left the 25th Division and moved to Cromer, Norfolk and remained in England until the end of the war.

22nd (Service) Battalion
June 1915 Formed at Mill Hill, London as a bantam Battalion.
Oct 1915Moved to Aldershot, Hampshire and transferred to the 121st Brigade of the 40th Division.
Feb 1916 Moved to Witley, Surrey.
02.04.1916 Disbanded in England.

23rd (Service) Battalion (2nd Football)
29.06.1915 Formed in London by Rt. Hon W Joynson Hicks MP.
July 1915 Moved to Cranleigh, Surrey.
Nov 1915 Moved to Aldershot, Hampshire and transferred to the 123rd Brigade of the 41st Division.
May 1916 Mobilised for war and landed in France, where they were involved in action on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of the Transloy Ridges.
During 1917
The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge.
Nov 1917 Moved to Italy arrived in Vigasio 21st Nov.
08.03.1918 Returned to France, arriving at Monicourt, where they were again involved in action on the Western Front including;
The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Arras, The Battles of the Lys, The Advance in Flanders, The Battle of Ypres, The Battle of Courtrai, The action of Ooteghem.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in Belgium near Nederbrakel. The 41st Division suffered the loss of 32,158 men; killed, wounded or missing.

24th (Reserve) Battalion
Oct 1915 Formed as a Local Reserve Battalion from the Depot Companies of the 16th Battalion at Tring, Hertfordshire.
Dec 1915 Moved to Northampton and transferred to the 23rd Reserve Brigade.
May 1916 Moved to Aldershot, Hampshire.
01.09.1916 Became the 100th Training Reserve battalion in the 23rd Reserve Brigade.

25th (Reserve) Battalion
Oct 1915 Formed as a Local Reserve Battalion from the Depot Companies of the 18th, 19th and 26th Battalions at Tring, Hertfordshire.
Dec 1915 Moved to Northampton and transferred to the 23rd Reserve Brigade.
May 1916 Moved to Aldershot, Hampshire.
01.09.1916 Became the 25th (Garrison) Battalion.

25th (Garrison) Battalion
01.09.1916 Formed at Aldershot, Hampshire from the 25th (Reserve) Battalion.
03.11.1916 Transferred to the 213th Brigade of the 71st Division.
22.12.1916 Moved to Devonport, Plymouth, leaving the 71st Division and embarked for the Far East.
01.04.1917 Arrived in Hong Kong via Singapore.
Aug 1918 The Battalion arrived in Siberia, landing at Vladivostock to assist in the Russian Civil War supporting the White Russian forces against the Bolshevik Red Army.
Sept 1919 Returned to England.

23rd (Service) Battalion (3rd Public Works Pioneers)
09.08.1915 Formed at Alexandra Palace, London by Lieutenant Colonel John Ward MP, then taken over by the war office.
Nov 1915 Moved to Hornchurch, London.
Dec 1915 Moved to Witley, Surrey.
June 1916 Moved to Norfolk and transferred to the 69th Division.
July-Aug 1916 Moved to Flixton Park near Bungay and transferred to 62nd Division. Later moved to Devonport leaving the 62nd Division and embarking for Salonika, Greece.
24.08.1916 arrived at Salonika, Greece, transferred to the Pioneer Battalion in the 27th Division, where they were involved in various actions along the Bulgarian boarder.
30.09.1918 Moved to Macedonia, Izlis west of Kosturino, N.W. of Lake Dorian.

27th and 28th (Reserve) Battalion
Dec 1915 Formed as a Local Reserve Battalion from the Depot Companies of the 17th 23rd 20th and 21st Battalions.
May 1915 Moved to Northampton and transferred to the 23rd Reserve Battalion.
01.09.1916 Moved to Aldershot, Hampshire and became the 101st and 102nd Training Reserve Battalions in the 23rd Brigade.

29th (Works) Battalion
July 1916 Formed at Mill Hill, London.
Mar 1917 Moved to Thetford, Norfolk.
April 1917 Transferred to Labour Corps as the 5th Labour Battalion

30th and 31st (Works) Battalion
July & Sept 1916 Formed at Crawley and Mill Hill, London.
1916 the 30th moved to Reading and remained there.
1917 The 31st moved to Sevenoaks and then to; Reigate, Harpenden and Croydon.

32nd Battalion Territorial Force
01.01.1917 Formed at Gorleston, Norfolk from the 63rd Provisional Battalion of the 225th Brigade. (The 63rd Provisional Battalion was formed in 1915 from Home Service personnel).

33rd (Works) Battalion
Jan 1917 Formed at Mill Hill, London
April 1917 Transferred as the 6th Labour Battalion to the Labour Corps.

1St (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
May 1916 Formed at Mill Hill, London.
Aug 1917 Moved to Chattenden, Kent and became the 16th Battalion Royal Defence Corps.

51st (Graduated) Battalion
This was formerly the 12th Royal West Surrey Battalion then became the 97th Training Reserve Battalion then became the 209th (Graduated) Battalion.
27.10.1917 Moved to Taverham and became the 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the 193rd Brigade in the 64th Division, then moved to Norwich for the winter.
Mar 1918 Moved to Sheringham, Norfolk and then to Taverham, Norfolk and then back to Norwich by Nov 1918

52nd (Graduated) Battalion
This was formerly the 27th Middlesex Battalion then became the 101st Training Reserve Battalion then became the 250th (Graduated) Battalion.
27.10.1917 Moved to Colchester and became the 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the 212st Brigade in the 71st Division.
Feb 1918 71st Division broken up and transferred to 193rd Brigade of the 64th Division. Moved to Taverham, Norfolk and then back to Norwich by Nov 1918

53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
This was formerly the 28th Middlesex Battalion and then the 102nd Young Soldier Battalion. Became the 53rd Battalion of the 23rd Reserved Brigade at Aldershot.